IGN reveals ambitious new Wii-exclusive FPS

IGN yesterday revealed an exclusive first look at High Voltage Software’s The Conduit, an ambitious first-person shooter in development exclusively for the Nintendo Wii.

Contrary to the unfortunate nature of most third-party Wii afterthoughts, High Voltage is putting substantial effort behind The Conduit, promising both refined Wii control mechanics and hardware-pushing visuals.

In designing the game’s controls, High Voltage’s Eric Nofsinger told IGN the development team looked to Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 and Metroid Prime 3 for inspiration, offering players a precise and fully customizable control scheme. However, Nofsinger suggested the team is placing even greater emphasis on Wii’s graphics capabilities.

High Voltage CEO Kerry Ganofsky offered IGN the following:

“We think it’s a real shame that publishers and developers aren’t taking advantage of the technical possibilities of the Wii platform. Most Wii games don’t even look as good as the later day PS2 titles, and that’s a real slap in the face to consumers. We believe that third-party developers need to step up to the plate and deliver. The Wii platform is capable of a lot more than what consumers have seen so far. We’re hoping to raise a new bar.”

High Voltage is billing The Conduit as a mature, fast-paced, run-and-gun first-person shooter similar to 360’s blockbuster Halo 3 and PS3’s Resistance: Fall of Man. Players assume the role of Secret Service Agent Ford, a hero with guns-a-blazing in the midst of a full-scale extraterrestrial attack on planet Earth. IGN has posted several early screenshots and promises gameplay footage is coming “soon.”

For technical information behind The Conduit and High Voltage’s Quantum3 Wii gameplay engine, including a video of the engine in action, check the extensive IGN preview. Keep excitement within reason, however; The Conduit is currently without a publisher.

Ive seen their techdemo and it looks awesome, (Graphics wise) but this could just as well be a mediocre fps. Putting it on the wii doesn’t necessarily make it any better (Okay better then playing with dual analogs) but im a long time PC gamer. What does interest me though is that a 3rd party is actually doing something with the Wii hardware and not settling with last gen graphics engines. So even if this game sucks, if people start using the engine we might start seeing some decent looking wii games. Still not sold on their own project.

Actually it doesn’t even look that good, but hey the wii is actually the only console that can justify another FPS (doesn’t have that many and controls are fun) Hoping its just the games art direction thats putting me off, but still poly count looks low and textures suck (I mean come on the latest GOW looked great and the ps2 was the weakest tech wise of the last gen) I am not impressed but maybe intrigued (The effects are looking cool) hoping it doesn’t kill poly count or framerate.

@ Lifeisaglitch
Yeah, I was looking at the screens and just wasn’t interested; it looked like pretty generic futuristic FPS. Not being a big FPS player, I wondered if it was something I wouldn’t even notice in game – not really worrying how spiffy levels look when I’m getting fragged.

While I’m all for new games for the Wii, esp in underrepresented genres (can we get one decent, normal RPG, please?), this just looks… meh. Like I said, gameplay could well change it all, but it still doesn’t *look* especially interesting or pretty (in a dirty, gritty sort of way).

A generic, sci-fi FPS is a rare thing on Wii. MOH:Heros was a generic WWII FPS, but great Wii controls made it worthwhile. Here’s hoping someone will build on those great controls and polish the rest of the game.

Looks like a pre order game to me. I’m not usually into games like this but this could be pretty good, and just for the fact that a developer is taking the initiative and making a ground up wii game, and actually noticing that even if the Wii is a GC 1.5, it sure as hell is NOT a GC 0.5. These guys have pretty much earnt my purchase of the game with just that.

I’m just interested to wait and see if all of this comes true. Being a Nintendo console fan for a long time, on several occasions developers don’t come through with extremely pleasing promises (and not even just Nintendo, but it seems like it happens with their consoles more than their fair share).

Anyway, if it DOES turn out as awesome as it SHOULD… I might have to invest. MP3 was kickass, I don’t see why they couldn’t make another game just as good. And it would be a sure buy for me if they added multiplayer, preferably online. But I’m afraid THAT is just asking for way too much. Oh well.

Let’s hope they know what they’re doing. They’re last game was the Grimm Adventures of Billy and Mandy fighting game. In fact, the majority of their titles over the last four or five years are all Cartoon Network licensed titles. I interviewed with them (almost took the job) a little over a year ago. I assume this would’ve been the title I’d have been working on. I will say this, they are very enthusiastic about the Wii and enjoy prioritizing style and art direction over realism and simulation.

Exciting news and I’m happy that another 3rd party is taking the Wii and its gamers seriously. I’m definitely going to cheer on this team and hope their game turns out great because we definitely need more serious titles that play to the strengths of the Wii (pointing and shooting in this case which I love doing).

I don’t know what’s worse, an encounter with some kid screaming profanities in my ear at the top of his lungs and the fact this abuse comes with a monthly charge, or playing a FPS with one of the worst control options, only second to a keyboard when it comes to aiming.

At least I can mute the kid, but the thumb part, it never gets better. And then there’s the paying part; Being a long-time PC gamer, I’ve grown rather accustom to online play being free.

Nice to see a third party developer pushing the Wii hardware as well as creating an original title. Now we have to wait and see if the game is actually good or not. I’m not liking the Halo comparison. That game is already mediocre at best.

Some one send this to the red steel guys please and can we agree on away to use swords and guns next times. Imagine No more heros with this tech. Factor 5 still has not shown what they can do so things are getting heated on the gfx front.